Woman, 21, Charged in Arson Attack on Texas GOP HQ

A 21-year-old Texas woman has been charged with arson and burglary after allegedly breaking into and setting fire to a Republican Party headquarters.

The attack reflects a dangerous escalation of political extremism, GOP leaders said.

Grace Carol Brown was arrested Thursday in New Braunfels after authorities said she smashed windows, broke into the Comal County Republican Party headquarters, and started a fire inside the building.

Employees arriving at the headquarters discovered the damage and a small but deliberate fire, prompting an emergency response from police and fire officials.

The blaze caused only limited damage, but Republican officials said the intent was clear: intimidate, vandalize, and terrorize a political organization.

Brown was taken into custody by the New Braunfels Police Department and later booked into the Comal County Jail on arson and burglary charges, with bond set at $200,000.

Local authorities were assisted in the investigation by the FBI and the New Braunfels Fire Marshal's Office, underscoring the seriousness of the alleged attack.

Texas Republican Party Chair Abraham George condemned the incident as part of a broader national trend of left-wing hostility toward conservatives and Republican institutions.

"Acts like this are troubling and should concern all who value peaceful civic engagement," George said, adding that similar attacks have occurred across the country.

George thanked law enforcement for their swift response and said it was fortunate no one was injured, noting that the damage could have been far worse.

Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters went further, blaming incendiary Democrat rhetoric for fueling violence against GOP organizations.

"Democrats' disgusting rhetoric has led to another violent attack," Gruters wrote on X, calling the arson an alarming example of political radicalization.

The Texas incident follows other attacks on Republican offices nationwide, including vandalism at a GOP headquarters in Prince William County, Virginia, and an attempted arson in Overland Park, Kansas.

In those cases, buildings were defaced, damaged, or targeted with substances meant to degrade and intimidate, reflecting what Republicans say is an increasingly unhinged political climate on the left.